Good Friday 2013: 5 Superstitions About the Christian Holiday

Every holiday seems to have its own set of superstitious beliefs. Good Friday is no different. As Christians around the world prepare for Good Friday and Easter celebrations, we found these five superstitious beliefs too good not to share. 

1. Hot cross buns are seriously good luck.

Hot cross buns are essentially the Lembas of religious foods. Not only are goods baked on Good Friday said to never spoil, these particular baked yeasty delights possess even more amazing qualities. Buns baked on Good Friday were also a favorite among seafarers, who believed that they protected against shipwrecks. The buns are a traditional food item in the United Kingdom, where it's believed that sharing a bun with another person ensures friendship through the next year. Also, if you have any old ones lying around, hang them up in your house. They will protect your home from fire. 

2. Changing your sheets will give you bad dreams. 

If you desire a restful sleep tomorrow night, you should avoid changing your sheets. Changing bed linens on Good Friday is said to bring about bad dreams. This comes from the belief that God cursed Good Friday after Jesus was slapped in the face by a wet material before being taken away to be crucified. Almost all forms of work on Good Friday are frowned upon. 

3. Do not work with wood. 

Don't work with it, don't burn it, and definitely do not drive a nail in it. Though the whereabouts of this particular superstition remain unknown, a rather obvious one would be that it would be a inappropriate reminder of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. 

4. If you die on Good Friday or Easter, you go straight to Heaven. 

It is believed that if you happen to depart this mortal coil on Good Friday or Easter you will be permitted straight into Heaven, no questions asked. So if you wanted to avoid being a good person or doing goods deeds here on Earth, this might be your next best chance at getting into the Lord's Kingdom. 

5. Babies born on Good Friday and baptized on Easter have special powers. 

If you have a baby on Good Friday, be sure to have them baptized on Easter. If you do, your child is thought to possess the power to heal. Because Jesus died on this day and also had the healing powers, individuals born on this day are said to have the same power. Though, some believe that to be born on Good Friday is bad luck and being baptized on Easter offsets that. Either way, being baptized on Easter appears to be universally a good thing.